Line-disconnecting switch.



E. M. HEWLETT.

LINE DISCONNEGTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAYE, 1909.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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LINE DISGONNEOTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED'MAY 5, 1909. 1,1Q9,586 Patented Sept.1,1914.

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E. M. HEWLETT.

LINE DISGONNEGTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAYE,19 09. 1,109,5 Patented Sept. 1,1914

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LINE DISCONNECTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5,1909.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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Witness..- f%/% M fdn'amlj/flew/eili; 274- W nnrrn *T Enwaap m. HEWLETT, or sonENEc'ranY, NEW-YORK, assmnon To GENERAL ELECTRIC some, a coaroaATIon on NEW YORK.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

Application filed ma 5 1909. Serial no. 494,060.

To all whom it may concern: l I

. Be it known that I, EDWARD M, HEWLETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLine-Dis connecting Switches, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to electric switches and more particularly to disconnecting switches suitable for dividing a high potential transmission line into sections to facilitate inspection and repairs, and its object is to provide a simple, reliable and easily operated switch which can be mount ed on the top of a tower .orpole of a trans mission-line in alinement with the conductor controlled by it, thereby avoiding bends or turns in the conductor; which does not reduce the space between phases to an objeer tionable degree; in which the distance be tween the switches in the different phases is the same in both the 0 en and closed position of the switch, an in which a comparatively slight rocking or angular movement of an actuating member causes the switchto open or to close.

In carrying out my invention, the switch for each conductor is made long and very narrow, the movable member being arranged to move perpendicular to the, plane of the conductors of the transmission line. As a result of this construction, the switches may be mounted side by side and inalinement with the conductors controlled by them,- since the space between the live parts of the switches in the different phases is substan tially the same as the space between the conductors of the transmission line, in both the open and closed osition of the switches.

The live, parts of t e switch are mounted u on insulators of any suitable type, one of the insulators being mounted to rock or oscillate, and arranged to open and close the switch when rocked by the ,operator. Since the insulators and other moving parts of a switch for controlling a transmission line of high, potential are necessarily comparatively heavy, the hand operation of the? switch is facilitated by mounting the mov-g able insulator to swing above the horizontali pivot on which it is balanced, so that it is; ,easily swung from one side of the pivot .to%

the other to open and to close the switch The contacts preferably cooperate to cut' of the transmission line.

away ice, snow and other foreign substances which maylodge upon them, and thereby the closing of the circuit is insured even during bad weather.

My invention will best be understood in "connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the various forms in which it may be embodied and in which- Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of the arranged to control a polyphase circuit;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a tower on which the switches may be operated independently or simultaneously, as desired; Fig. 6 is a detail of the insulator mounting shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a detail of the latching arrangement shown in Fig. 5.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the parts of the switch for controlling each conductor are mounted upon any suitable framework 1, which is preferably made of angle iron, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and may be mounted either on thetop of a tower or on one of the poles At each end of the frame 1 insulators 2 and 3 are rigidly mounted in alinement with one conductor t-L of the transmission line, these insulators being strong enough to resist the pull exerted by the conductor. The switch is operated by means of a movable insulator 4 mounted .between the insulators 2 and 3 in alinement mechanism for operating the switch by hand; Fig. 4.- is a plan view of the switch which the insulator 4 maybe rocked back 1 and forth and the arm- 6 is in turn con-.

'nected, as shown in Fig. 3, by means of a rod 7 to an operating handle'or lever 8 pivoted to the tower or pole and within reach of an operator standing on the ground. In

order to avoid unauthorized operation of the disconnecting switches, a suitable lock, such as padlock 9, holds the operating lever in either of its'extreme positions.

The insulator 4 is comparatively heavy, especially when large enough to resist high potentials, and in order to facilitate'the operation of the switch by hand, the insulator is preferably mounted, as best shown in Fig. 1, to bring its center of gravity above a the pivot. Since the weight of the insulator is carried by the pivot 5, on which the insulator is practically balanced, in unstable equilibrium, a comparatively slight effort will move a heavy insulator from the position shown in full lines, in which the switch is closed, to-theposition shown in dotted lines, where the switch is open, and as the angular. movement of the insulator is not great the insulator is almost directly above the pivot 5 in all positions of the switch. By means of this construction, large and heavy insulators canbe used without rendering the switch too heavy and unwieldy for hand operation.

The conductors of the transmission line are connected to terminals 10 of any suitable-type, mounted on the upper ends of .the insulators 2 and 3. One of .the terminals 10 is provided with projections 11, as best shown in Fig. 2, and to these projections the ends of side rods or pivoted members 12 are pivotally connected, 'the other ends of the,rods being connected by means of pivots 13 to links or plates 14, which are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the sides of the movable contact blade or switch member 15, which is preferably V-shaped, as shown in Fig. 2, the sides of the V being secured to the plates 14 and the oint being arranged to act as a contact which cooperates with a fixed contact 16 mounted on the terminal 10 on the insulator 3 and thereby opens and closes the circuit. The rocking or movable insulator 4 is connected to the contact blade in any suitable manner and by any suitable connections which will dcause the angular movement of the contact blade about its pivot 13 to be reater than the angular movement of the insulator 4 about its pivot 5, so that a comparatively slight movement of the insulator will swing the contact blade 15 throughout its range of movement and thereby enable the switch to be opened and closed quickly. In the specific form shown in the drawings, the connection between the contact blade 15 and the movable insulator is of a type which ermits a maximum break to be secured w en the switch is opened. This connection comprises pivots 17 carried on the plates 14 which are between the pivots 13 and the tip of the contact blade and engages the arms of a yoke 18, which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the rocking insulator 4, and

mounted in alinement with the end insulators 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 2, with the yoke 18 between the plates 14. As the switch is opened, the insulator swings back between the two separated pivots 13 of the contact blade 15 until the length of the air gap between parts of opposite potential is the distance between the ends of the rods 12.

and the fixed contact 16, and is greater than the distance between the fixed contact and the metal parts on the rocking insulator 4 when the switch is closed, as is apparent from Fig. 1. In order that the insulation of the live parts of the switch against ground may always be the same, the parts are so proportioned that the contact blade 15 and link 12 are always farther away'from the pivot of the insulator 4 than the yoke 18. As the insulator swings about its pivot the minimum distance from any live part of the switch to ground is alwaysthe distance from the bottom of the yoke 18 to the pivot of the insulator, and this distance does not change when the switch is operated.

The side rods 12 and the rocking insulator 4 are linked to each other by the frames 14 to form a three link toggle, as best shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the terminal 10 and pivot 5 being fixed points and the pivot 17 being forced to the position shown in full lines as the rocking insulator is swung in a clockwise direction to close the switch. When the insulator 4 is rocked at a uniform rate the movement of the frame 14 about its pivot 17 is comparatively slow, when the frame 14 is-perpendicular to the side rods 12, but becomes more rapid as the angle between the frame and the side rods becomes more acute; hence a slight angular movement of the insulator when in the position shown in dotted lines causes a comparatively great movement of the contact blade. The contact blade 15 is secured to the frames 14 at such an angle to a line joining the pivots 13 and 17, as best shown in Fig. 1, that when the insulator 4 is on one side of the pivot 5, in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the contact blade 15 and the side rods 12 are nearly in alinement with each other and the switch is closed. Just as the contacts come into engagement, the rocking insulator 4 is in a position where the leverage tending to move the contact blade 15 downward and to close the switch is nearly at the maximum, and as the switch is fully closed the rockin insulator swings slightly beyond a vertica line through the pivot 5 to a oint where the weight of the rocking insu ato'r tends to hold the switch in the closed position. 7

When the switch is opened, the rocking insulator is swung from the osition shown in full lines to the position s 1OWI1 in dotted lines through an angle of ap roximately 30, while the connections of t e insulator tact blades 15 willusuallymove erticallya.

to the contact blade, swing the blade from the osition shown in full lines through an 'ang e of about 90 to the position shown in dotted lines, hence a comparatively slight angular movement of the insulator causes a much greater angular movement of the, As the 1 switch opens, thecontact blade. rocking insulator swings beyond a vertical line through the ivot, to the position shown in dotted lines, w ere the weight of the rocking insulator tends to hold the switch in the open position, although in both positions tact 19, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The contact clip 19 cooperates with the fixed wedge-shaped contact 16, which is mounted.

on the terminal 10 of the insulator 3 with its narrow edge upward, so that as the cli is moved downward into engagement wit a the fixed contact the sides'of the clip cooperate with the sharp up r edges of the stationary contact to cut t rough any'sleet or ice which may be depositedupon the fixed. contact and thereby a good metal to metal:

engagement ofthe contacts is assured. In the preferred construction, the contacts are protected from the weather when the switch is closed, by means of a cover 20 mounted on the contact blade 15 to inclose the clipcontact 19 and shaped, as shown in Fig. 1,.

to protect both the fixed and the movable clip contact when the contacts are 'in engagement. In order to assist in the breaking of the are, in case the switch is opened when current is flowing through the conductors, a horn 21 is mounted on the terminal 10 adjacent to the fixedcontact 16 and is bent backward, as shown in Fig. 1, to cooperate with the end of. the contact blade 15 and break the arc in much the same man-- ,sitlon where it can be easily reached by an nor as a horn break lightning arrester.

A switch embodying my invention is particularly adapted to polyphase circuits,

since the switch for each conductor can be mounted in alinement with the conductor and the switches can be arranged side by;

the same, whether open. or closed, theswitches are preferably arranged, as shown in Fig. 4, to cause all the contact blades 15 to move in vertical planes perpendicular to the plane of the conductors'controlled by the switches, and since the conductorsare usually strung in a horizontal plane the con- 'Tlie switches in the different phases are operated simultaneously by means of any suitable connection between the rocking in- ;sulators, and in the preferred construction the pivot 5 is extended across the frame 1,&

(so that the rocking insulators of each switch can be mounted uponthe rocking actuator 01' pivot 5. The arm 6 then turns the insulaators simultaneously about the pivot 5, as is apparent from Fig. 4, and the several 2 simultaneously;

On polyph'ase transmission lines one conand in such cases it is advantageous to be able to entirely disconnect the damaged condnctor and to use two of the uninjured conductors to form a single phase circuit over ing insulator 4 being loosely mounted on a stationary axle or support 22 by means of castings or other suitable supports 23, rotatably mounted on the. axle 22 and held in .position by collars, as clearly shown in Fig. ,6. Each'casting or insulator support 23 1S rocked about the axle 22 by any suitable conconnections shown comprising a rod 24' connected through links orrods 25 to an arm 26 loosely; sleeved or mounted on an operating member or shaft 27 which is common to all the switches and is mounted in a posisting of the rocking insulator 4 and the I rods 24 and 25,which are preferably made of wood} Since the switches are independently operable, any two of them can be operiatedsimultaneously to control a single phase circuit by looking to the rockshaft 27 the which. energy can: be transmitted until thoa' phases of the circuit are opened and closed ductor may be broken or become grounded :while the other conductors remain intact,

nections to an operating member, the specific i no arms 26 'of the switches to be operated, while the arm connected to the other switch is freed from the rock shaft. Any suitable form of locking mechanism may be used to secure at will any of the arms to the rock shaft, the preferred form being that shown in Fig. 7, in which the arm 26, loosely mounted on the rocking shaft 27 is held by means of a collar 29 in contact with'a boss 30, rigidly mounted on the rocking shaft and provided with a rocking pin 31 slidably mounted in the boss to engage a recess in the arm 26, as indicated in Fig. 7, thereby locking the arm 26 to the boss 30 and consequently to the rock shaft 27. A stop 32 prevents the locking pin from being entirely withdrawn from the boss and the head of the locking pin is preferably provided with anotchin a position to be engaged by a spring or other yielding stop 33 for holding' the locking pin in looking position.

In the particular arrangement shown in Fig. 5, two of the switches are shown closed and the arms corresponding to those switches are rigidly locked to the rock shaft 28, so that the two switches will be simultaneously operated to control two conductors of the transmission line which are being operated as a single phase circuit. The other switch shown in the open position is in series with the damaged conductor, and during the movement of the rock shaft 27 remains in the open position, as shown in the drawing, because its arm 26 has been unlocked from the-rock shaft 27. It is obvious that if the middle conductor should be disabled, the middle switch would be left open, while the two out-side switches would be operated simultaneously and that any two of the switches may be operated while the third switch is left open, or that under extreme conditions two switches might be left open, while one switch would be operated to control one uninjured conductor, which could be used in. case of emergency to form a single phase circuit with ground return.

My invention may be embodied in many other forms than that shown and described, and I do not wish to be restricted to the precise arrangement disclosed, but intend to cover by the appended claims all modifications which are within the spirit and scope of my invention. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In an electric switch, the combination with a rocking insulator mounted on a fixed pivot, means for rocking said insulator, and

a metal yoke mounted on said insulator, of a contact operatively related to said yoke and mounted to swing in the'saine plane as tact through a path outside of the are described by said yoke whereby said yoke is always as close to the pivot of said insulator as any other live part of the switch.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with stationary insulated terminals, of a member pivoted to one'terminal, a contact blade pivotally connected with said member and cooperating with the other terminal, and a rocking insulator mounted to swing in the same plane as said blade and connected to said blade to move said blade about its pivotal connection to said member.

3. In an electric switch, the combination with stationary insulated terminals, of a member pivoted to one terminal, a contact blade pivotally connected with said member and cotiperating with the other terminal, and a rocking insulator mounted between said terminals to support said member and said blade and to rock said blade about its pivotal connection.

4:. In an electric switch, the combination with a fixed contact and. a coiiperating switch blade mounted on a pivot, of an insulator pivoted eccentric to said blade to swing toward and away from the fixed contact and from one side of said switch blade pivot to the other, and connections between said insulator and said blade whereby said insulator is brought between said switch blade pivot and said fixed contact when the switch is closed and said switch blade pivot is between the insulator and the fixed contact when the switch is opened.

5. In an electric switch, the combination with a fixed contact and 'a movable contact blade having arms mounted on-separated pivots, of an insulator pivoted to move in a ath eccentric to the path of movement of said blade to rock toward and away from said fixed contact and to pass between said separated pivots, a stationary insulator, and connections between said insulators and said blade for rocking said blade about said separated pivots to open the switch as said insu lator is rocked away from said fixed contact and to a point beyond said pivots.

6. In a switch for polyphase circuits, the combination with a plurality of movable contacts mounted to move in parallel lanes, of an actuator mounted to rock a out a fixed axis, a plurality of rocking insulators mounted side by'side on said actuator in alinement with said contacts and arranged to rock about the same axis as said actuator, said insulators being mounted to move severally or individually, a plurality of stationary insulators, and connections between said rocking-and stationary insulators and said contacts for operating said contacts the weight of said rocking insulators tending to hold said contacts 0 nor closed.

7. An electric switc comprising a fixed contact, a cooperating pivoted Switchblade,

operating mechanism comprising a rocking insulator pivoted to move in a path eccentric to the path of movement of said blade and mounted to bring its center of gravity above its pivot, a stationary insulator, and actuating connections between said stationary and rocking insulators and said switch blade for moving said switch blade in the arc of a circle as said. rocking insulator is rocked about its pivot to open and close the switch, the center of gravity of said rocking insulator being on one side of its pivot when the switch is closed and on the other side when the switch is open;

8. An electric switch comprising a 'fixed contact, a cooperating pivoted switch blade, operating mechanism comprising a rocking insulator pivoted to move in a path eccentric to the path of movement of said blade and mounted to bring its center of gravity above its pivot, a stationary insulator, and

actuating connections between said insulators and said switch blade movingcsaid switch blade in the arc of a circle as said rocking insulator is rocked about its pivot, said switch being closed as the center of gravity of said rocking insulator is brought a predetermined distance on one side of its pivot and is opened as said rocking insu-- lator is rocked to bring its center of gravity at a greater distance on the other side of its pivot.

9. In an electric switch, the combination with a fixed contact, and a pivoted switch I blade cooperating with said contact, of operating mechanism for moving said switch blade toward and away from said fixed contact in the arc of a circle and to open and close the switchcomprising a rocking insulator having a horizontal pivot and mounted to move in the same plane as said switch blade, a stationary insulator, and actuating connections between said switch blade and said rocking and stationary insulators for operating said switch blade as said rocking insulator is rocked about its pivot whereby the weight of said insulator tends to hold the switch in either open or closed position.

10. In an electric switch, the combination with relatively movable cooperating contacts, of a pivoted member, a rocking insulator pivoted eccentric to said member and a link for carrying one of said contacts, said link bein pivoted to said insulator and to said mem er to form a toggle which is collapsed as said-insulator is rocked to separate said contacts.

contact as said toggle is straightened.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of May, 1909.

EDWARD M. HEWLETT.

.Witnesses: g

, BENJAMIN B. HULL,

HELEN 012mm). 

